Despite its spacious size it can be air transportable internally in MH/CH-47 Chinook helicopters, thanks to height compression technique reducing the vehicle’s height to fit the Chinook’s cabin. Motor racing specialist company Pratt & Miller Engineering is signed on the unique design, brought from idea to fully functional prototype in few months. A respected industry leader in the defense, automotive, motorsports and powersports industries, Pratt & Miller is renown for their innovative, high-performance engineering and manufacturing solutions.
A top view of the new MAV-L custom designed special operations vehicle. Photo: Northrop Grumman

“Our clean-sheet approach and purpose-built solution applies innovation from across our industry team. We deliver an affordable solution that meets the warfighter’s mission requirements and a great new capability,” said Tom Vice, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Technical Services. “We’re fully committed to providing the Special Operations Command with the most modular and agile vehicle capable of top performance in any operational environment.” While MAV-L was designed to meet SOCOMGMV 1.1 requirements, the team considered it has applications beyond SOCOM. For example, such vehicles could be suitable for US Army and Marine Corps recon teams, forced entry teams operated by the Air Force, or for international customers. designing the vehicle for maximum adaptation and ample growth.

BAE Systems provides the experience of military vehicle manufacturing, and sustainment for the program. If MAV-L is selected, it will be produced at the company’s Sealy, Texas, facility where MRAPs and tactical trucks where produced in recent years.

“The capabilities of our partners combined with Northrop Grumman’s decades of experience integrating C4ISR systems into land forces sustainment and military platforms, ensure that our customers receive a vehicle as capable and flexible as their mission requirements,” said Frank Sturek, deputy director of land forces sustainment and MAV-L program manager, Northrop Grumman.